Wounds of the Heart
by Dede K
Summary: After attempting to escape her imprisonment, Azula finds herself in a world completely different from her own, and in it she finds all she never thought she wanted in her life.
1. The Prince and the Beggar

**The Prince and the Beggar**

* * *

_He saw him this time. It was his first time not just noticing, but forcing himself to bother sparing a glance at the dark haired boy who sat on the front porch of the tavern. On his lonely walks to this particular village, he often saw the beggar on this same spot._

_On some days, he would throw him small pouches of gold coins at his feet, not waiting for the beggar to whisper his gratitude. But most days, he would ignore him, and the beggar would do nothing to get his attention._

_Ozai took long walks like these to ruminate. Yes, he did have his home. But on silent nights like these, thinking to himself in that burial was nauseating. Air, next to fire, healed those anxieties._

_As soon as he stopped to gaze at the beggar who roamed on this very area, the said boy quickly caught him looking. The intensity of his gaze caught Ozai off guard. There was a spark to them. A glint that warned Ozai to watch his step when it came to him._

_At this moment, it occurred to Ozai that the beggar did not recognize him. Ozai took on a different set of clothing, and this time, tied his hair in a low pony for others to not get suspicious of the same person visiting their village, even if it was only for a few times._

_Ozai should perhaps leave or teach this boy a lesson, but he was an unguarded ten year old prince, who was wandering in the villages of the Fire Nation in peasant clothing. If his identity were to be discovered, his father would have his head._

_Who are you, was what the beggar asked with those fiery eyes. And Ozai responded quietly, his voice void of any trace of emotion, "My name is An."_

_The boy nodded carefully, "Sora."_

* * *

Her scream was the most terrifying, a piercing and guttural roar echoing throughout the palace. In her daze, she was helpless against prying hands. The heat that scorched her skin. She was living in the dark, but pain was her companion, the searing burn was so unbearable that all she could do was cry out because there was nothing she could do to defend herself, unwilling to see anyone.

She knew that she was fighting the staff in the asylum, knew that somehow, they caught up with her and managed to ambush her near the hiding spot she thought was safe. Black specks clouded her memory after that, and all she knew now was that for some reason, she could not see them, but feel them kill her slowly each passing second.

Yelling and screaming from others were what she heard._ Leave her alone._ Her brother? Was that him? _No._ Zuko hasn't visited her in years, if she even knew how much time has passed being in that cell for so long.

In her bout of rage, her hysteria, her throat dried. She could not scream anymore but whimper quietly, her small voice and the distant sounds of the hole she was in comforted her now. Her eyes were closed the entire time, but now, she felt something toasty and warm. Her heart fluttered, and the familiar warm feeling finally nudged her eyes open.

A bright light threatened to shut them closed, but Azula pushed on, blinking rapidly to the clear blue skies above. For a moment, she let herself rest under the cumulus clouds, subconsciously wishing that she rested on them and forgot all about herself - her sorrows and anything else that held every small trace of the life she lived.

_"Yuki?"_

Her attention snapped up at the tiny voice, a voice of a child, whose head was now in Azula's view. She was about to probably torch the child, but something stopped her. She blinked a few times again, pushing herself up to get a close look at the girl whose curious expression switched as soon as a smile lit up her face. Azula did not pay heed to the dark crimson tunic and pants she wore, or notice that her hair was held in a ponytail.

The child gazing at her never seemed bothered that Azula was staring at her in shock, but then again, Azula figured that she wouldn't. The Fire princess took a look around her surroundings, noticing the turtle duck pond and the alternate entry into the walkway of the palace.

Everything looked just as it did in the palace - before her mother disappeared. The gardens were thriving with many different flowers, trees, and bushes. Fire lilies and chrysanthemums bloomed, tracing the the edges of the fountain in the center of the garden, a few feet away from her and the girl who watched her. Her mother used to garden daily, but after she left, professional gardeners took over. Her mother's garden were thriving with life, but once she left, the gardens were just a nice scenery. There was no comfort in them anymore.

"Where am I?" Her voice sounded different too. She look at her hands, noting that they were tanner and her nails not as manicured as she used to do it.

The girl blinked, and then her amber eyes crinkled before she let out a small giggle, "That fall must have really gotten to you. Quit playing, Yuki, and teach me some more firebending."

Azula blinked, "What is your name?"

She just had to make sure this girl was not who she feared for her to be, and that she were not in a world she never expected to be in. The girl frowned, her amber eyes bright and lips pursed before she said, "It's Azula, silly. Now teach me some more fire bending before Zuzu comes back and mother makes dinner. I'm starving."

Her heart raced, but Azula's - or _Yuki's_ - voice betrayed any racing thoughts going through her mind. She never remembered herself being this way, and the only dreams she had were nightmares, not something like this. And as far as she remembered, the Royal family had nothing to do with cooking food. Servants were the ones who prepared meals, not the of the Royal Palace.

Alright. I guess I'll teach you some fire bending,"

What this child did next stunned Azula, and reaffirmed her suspicions that she did not go back in time, but ended up in an alternate universe. Because if it had truly been her in the past, she would never leap up to wrap her arms around her neck and give her a kiss on the cheek.

* * *

This girl was a complete reversal of herself as a child, and when Azula realized that, she mistakenly underestimated the child's prowess. Forget that for now, her bending was a bit off and her fire was now orange instead of its original hue. It wouldn't matter if she did have her original abilities, because the girl would still surpass her ten year old self in the past.

Little Azula was brilliant.

She was too agile, and flexible. Her small stature made it difficult for Azula tail her before she attacked. The girl would deliberately throw several attacks, just to distract Azula. She was still careful not to harm the flora, demonstrating superb skills in multitasking. When she was young, she could care less about her surroundings, because she prided herself on the fact that her fire was powerful when it was uncontrollable. But little Azula was mindful everything, yet still incredibly focused on their spar. Azula gasped when the child seemed to appear out of nowhere in front of her, throwing a fireball with her foot, to which Azula intercepted with a wall of fire.

Little Azula jumped back, grinning widely as she assessed her opponent. Azula panted softly, eyeing the girl who obviously was having too much fun with this. But she knew that little Azula wasn't having fun because she was beating her, it was because she enjoyed what she was doing. Fire bending was like breathing, like playing with Mai and Ty-Lee back when she didn't know any better. Sparring wasn't a battle she had to overcome, it wasn't enduring the fear of possibly being killed by her own father.

All of a sudden, a rush of anger surged through her. Little Azula noticed the change, but the gods were watching over this child, as if they knew Azula for her true self and protected what little innocence they had left. A statuesque figure glided into the gardens, grasping Azula's attention once the figure turned towards her. When she looked into an older image of herself, it took great strength holding herself back from slipping into her psychosis.

This woman who knelt and took little Azula in her arms did not know her, and she still didn't know what this world or dream was about, so she was going to stay calm and not retaliate. She figured that she was a tutor for the child, so she bowed once the Fire Lady came in sight.

"Now, now Yuki," Ursa said, with a twinkle in her eye. "You know that no formalities are needed between us. Your father was a dear friend of mine."

Azula nodded, processing this new source of information while forcing down hot tears that threatened to spill out, "I insist, my princess."

Ursa laughed, and when Azula looked up, it took so much to not rip that child away from her mother's arms and take that smile off her face. It was hard to believe that she was seeing herself, a happier version of herself, who turned out to be much more powerful than she imagined. If this alternate universe was truly one, then seeing this girl meant that everything she was taught was sham.

Little Azula whispered in her mother's ear, before Ursa looked up at _Yuki_, who was not expecting what she said next, "Dinner is ready, so why don't you two wrap up this training and come eat," Ursa kissed her little daughter's cheek, "Zuko came back from the Earth Kingdom, and he's dying to know how you've been training, Azu."

The girl gasped, "Zuzu's here already?!"

"And he's in the dining hall with a special present Uncle Iroh gave him to give you. Why don't you go see him?"

"Got it!" Azula was out of her mother's arms, before she skidded her way into the palace, before she was shortly followed by her mother, who shook her head in amusement. "See you at dinner, Yuki!"

The older Azula waved hesitantly, watching the two disappear into the building, "See you at dinner."


	2. The Sun Eyed Warrior

**The Sun Eyed Warrior**

* * *

_For more months since the first time they met, the two boys continued to meet in Sora's small hut on the outskirts of the village. Ozai learned that Sora has been on his own since he was three, eating sodden leftovers of the other orphans and staff members just because they hated him enough to not give him real food. Sora ran away from the orphanage, and tried to look for a job in the village he was in now. But the commoners there didn't like him either, and Sora never had the luxury of having friends until he met the prince. _

_Each night, the two boys would play together, their happy voices annoying some of the neighbors. Other times, Sora would make Ozai pull pranks in the neighborhood. They did this until the villagers started to investigate, so they settled for sparring together near the mountains. Ozai did not know why Sora had a hard time being accepted by others, but being the perceptive one that he was, he knew that it had to do with Sora's eyes. It seemed as though anytime one looked into them, a look of recognition crossed over their faces before they began to treat him with animosity. Other times, Ozai would listen to the villagers whisper behind the boy's back. Saying things like how a tribal peasant like him should have been killed off like the rest. _

_Sora's eyes weren't the normal amber. They were fiery, the color of the bright sun. A pale gold that sometimes irked Ozai because of its intensity. But once they started sparring together, Ozai learned that Sora was remarkable in his fire bending Ozai was taught by highly skilled tutors, but he still was no match for Sora, who managed to surpass him by teaching himself. His katas were so complex, that the young prince swore Sora experimented on them. One day, when Ozai was defeated again, he refused to speak to Sora for hours, who crippled at the thought of his only friend getting angry at him. That was when Ozai knew that he could use Sora to do whatever he wanted._

_In the late night, Ozai ignored Sora's apology for defeating him in their duel, and said, "Sora, I need to tell you something."_

_Sora's eyes widened, inching forward in the darkness of his hut, "What, An?"_

_"My name is not An."_

_Sora frowned, "Then who are you?"_

_Ozai looked down, "I'm the prince of the Fire Nation. My name is Ozai."_

_The boy paused, scratching the back of his head as if he was desperately trying to process this information, "What would a prince be doing around here? Why aren't you at home?"_

_"Forget that," Ozai snapped, a bit irritated by the other boy's question. "You're very good at fire bending. And I want you to teach me all that you know." _

_The other boy seemed stunned at first, but then he straightened himself and gave Ozai a wide grin. _

_"Sure!"_

_"And one more thing."_

_Sora nodded, "What?"_

_"Teach me how to turn my fire blue - like yours."_

* * *

Trust is and was always for the foolish, as her father reiterated in his daily life lessons to her during her childhood. She reminisced early mornings of him bringing her to the gardens for morning exercises, and her taking in every word from his lips as if his words were those of Agni. She felt that his lectures were what mattered, and any opinion opposing his own were worthless. Still, when Azula thought of the girl she had just met, she couldn't help but wonder if his lessons even mattered.

The setting sun was near, she could feel it, as any thriving fire bender should. In the dark guest room near the servant quarters, she laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling of the room she - _Yuki_ - supposedly was staying in for the summer.

How _odd._

Another draining sigh left her lips, and since she was bored, it was only a matter of time before she noticed the full length mirror near the vanity of the guest room. _Yes, she still had yet to see who Yuki was._ And with a shudder, she swiftly left the four poster bed and groaned at the sight of her.

Figured she'd look like a Water Tribe peasant in Fire Nation clothing. Azula chose this moment to study her new body's features, glaring at dark brown eyes and chestnut wavy hair. Yuki almost reminded Azula of that peasant who defeated her years ago. But all commoners were that way, since they constantly worked under the sun. And Azula supposed that this trip down in this pathetic world wouldn't take too long before she got her looks back.

When she was about to step away, a flicker of movement in the mirror made her stop. She looked closely, before she noticed that while her reflection was frowning, she knew that her brows didn't furrow.

"So you must be the other Azula,"

Azula had no time to yelp in surprise. When you live in an asylum for five years, nothing surprises you anymore.

She smirked, "And I suppose you're Yuki,"

Yuki's fists were clenched, but she caught herself and visibly calmed, "I'm just doing this because Agni has come to your favor, and I'm advising you to learn all you can on this journey,"

"Hm. How long am I trapped here?"

"For as long as you don't let yourself learn."

Azula processed this information, "And if I don't have any interest in learning such nonsense?"

Yuki gritted her teeth, "Look, all I know is that by the time this is over, I won't be able to remember anything. But you get to use what you learn to do make a true difference."

The Fire princess didn't show that she was listening, for she kept her eyes on a candle near the terrace.

"Why?"

Yuki sighed, "I don't know. I don't know what life you've lived in your world, but I'm guessing it wasn't ideal. I know that you try to tell yourself that you need nothing to make it any different, but if the gods went this far to give you a second chance in finding your true destiny, then I suggest you don't screw it up."

Again, Azula said nothing. _Her true destiny?_

"You are going to be Azula's tutor for the summer, and hopefully when that ends, you might get something out of it," Yuki said. "But telling you what this world is about isn't why I came here,"

The Fire princess glanced at the reflection.

"If you do anything as to change this girl in _anyway_, I don't care if I don't remember anything. I'll find a way to make you pay for it, and if I can't do that, then you know Agni will do it. There's a reason this girl is surrounded and protected by her loved ones, and I have made an oath to sacrifice myself for her if I need to. You of all people should know that you cannot in anyway reveal your identity. Don't toy with the gods, Princess Azula."

_She used her title._ Azula wanted badly to denounce what Yuki said, to continue mocking her until she angered the woman, but she knew Yuki was right. She still belonged to her nation, and in essence, she belonged to the spirits. That was a lesson she realized she almost didn't follow in her race to becoming Firelord.

And just like that, Yuki was gone. What remained was her own reflection, untouched. A knock on the door was heard in the room, to which she replied, "What is it?"

A pause. "The Firelord wishes for you to attend supper."

_Ozai, she still had yet to see how much he's changed._ "Alright. I will be there soon."

The corridors were still the same, as they should be. But Azula guessed that her shock over this alternate universe had her mind mulling over what was different. A boyish laugh told her that she was near supper, along with the hearty smell of Komodo dragon and ash banana soup.

Using her memory, or_ Yuki's_, she reached the dining hall, and was greeted by the sight of a twelve year old Zuko placing a parcel in front of little Azula. He had no scar on his face, but then again, Zuko was older when their father gave him that scar. He was still in the same clothing, but she wasn't prepared for the look of pure joy on his face when he gave the little girl the present.

Her mother was right across from the princess, leaning forward to watch her open her present. But then Azula's eyes flickered away, settling on the man who sat at the head, watching the little girl with a glow of affection and pride in his gaze. She almost went about sitting, until she took a closer look at him.

_What?_

"What a second..." she started but her voice trailed off.

The family of four looked up questionably at her. Azula remained still, struggling to grasp the sight of the man who was Firelord in this world. _How could this happen?_ The man - the man was not Ozai. The Firelord was dressed in the same garments, his hair was long and held in a topknot, just like her father, but he wasn't her father.

"I don't-"

"Yuki," he greeted, his voice the same as she remembered, but this time, less troubled that it used to be. "It's wonderful to see you."

"So-" she caught herself, before she decided to put her fist in her palm and give him the most honored bow. One for only the highest form of royalty - the Royal family. "Firelord Sora."

The man waved her over, "Come sit down and eat."

"See? I told you she hit her head hard," Little Azula whispered to Zuko, who snickered uncontrollably before he shrunk at the withering glare from Azula.

If there's anything that didn't change, it was that she still had her hatred for Zuko, even if he wasn't the real one.

Dinner was tense on her part, but she ate her food in silence, keeping a trained eye on the princess. Azula unwrapped her present, eagerly tearing away the dark parchment wrapped around it. Ursa grimaced when the little girl screamed with joy at her present, the one Azula was jealous Zuko had when they were young.

"A pearl dagger!"

Zuko nodded, "Yep. Just like you wanted."

"Zuko, you know pearl daggers aren't for girls to toy with," Ursa chastised over her children's growing chatter.

"Leave the children alone, you of all people should know that our daughter is one of a kind," The Firelord said calmly, while little Azula placed the dagger down and hugged her now annoyed brother around his neck.

"She is," Azula added softly, more stunned than shocked over the man who now gazed at her quietly. Ursa sighed and nodded, smiling at the two children across from her.

"Of course."

Little Azula squeezed her brother's neck, saying softly, "You're the best Zuzu."

"I told you not to call me that!" he whined, prompting more squeezing, but he lowered his voice to whisper in his sister's ear. "It's nothing though."

Long lost wishes surfaced gradually, nagging at the lone one who watched the two children pull apart and slip back into conversation. All she and her own brother spoke about were...well they were nothing meaningful.

She doesn't even remember ever looking up to her brother the way this girl did. And days spent rotting in that prison didn't bridge that ever widening gap between she and her brother.

When she looked away, she was oblivious to Firelord Sora, who continued to watch her look down at her food, his bright sun hued eyes regarding her curiously.


	3. The Blue Fire - Part I

**The Blue Fire in the Crevices of the Mountains I**

* * *

_As a little boy, Ozai understood that there was a lot he could not understand about the way the world worked. Somehow, he knew that he was trained to think in a certain way, but was not bothered by it because, he grew up to believe that these notions that made up their nation were true. The Fire Nation has always been the most elite. _

_There were commoners. Commoners had no place in an upper level society. And there were the other nations whose place were beneath the Fire Nation. The Water Tribe for one, the Air Nomads were another, and the Earth Kingdom who have yet to succumb to them._

_At the age of thirteen, Ozai felt that he would forever live by these principles. His only goal in life was to become not just any Firelord, but the strongest and the most feared warrior in the world. _

_He believed that when he reached that goal, he would leave a lasting legacy. No one would ever think highly of his brother. He would be the ruler of all nations. And he would do whatever it took to achieve that goal, even if it meant doing the unthinkable. This was what he tried to convince himself ever since he was six. _

_He knelt in the throne room, his heart racing as the heat of the flames surrounding his father brushed against him. Beads of perspiration fell down his forehead, but Ozai kept calm, convincing himself that no one had actually spotted him sneaking out for the first time in three years. _

_"You've summoned me father," he said, refusing to stand until his father permitted him to do so._

_"Yes, you may rise."_

_Ozai rose._

_"It has come to my attention that a servant caught you taking nightly strolls down the village of Khan, the one located close to the mountains," Azulon announced, his glare fixated on his younger son, "Is that correct?"_

_Ozai paused, "No, father."_

_"Lie to me again, boy, and I will burn you alive in front of the capital," Azulon responded, "Have you been sneaking out to play with that boy in the village."_

_The young boy quickly nodded, "Yes, father."_

_"The commoner by the name of Sora?"_

_Ozai hesitated, before he said, "Yes."_

_A long period of silence took over the throne room, but this was something Ozai was used to. He needed figure out how to handle the situation. He didn't know why he was so bothered by the fact that his father knew his friend's name, or that his father possibly could come after his friend. As a warrior, he should not have to care for his comrades. Look out for your own. But... "Sora does not know that I am the prince of the Fire Nation."_

_Another lie, but Azulon was never that skilled in detecting lies. _

_"Good."_

_Ozai waited._

_"I will forgive you for you carelessness," Azulon announced, and Ozai quietly let out a relieved sigh. "But, I don't want that bastard as your friend. Is that understood?"_

_Why? "Father,"_

_"What?"_

_"I'm curious," he gulped, before saying, "I know that Sora isn't favored in the community."_

_"Go on," his father coaxed. _

_"But he is an excellent fire bender and-"_

_"Do not waste my time here, boy. What is it that you want to say?"_

_Ozai considered his next words carefully, "I just don't understand why everyone dislikes him. He's nothing but a commoner, completely harmless to-"_

_"Ah," Azulon softly interrupted, "I guess you, like most children, aren't aware of who Sora is to the entire Fire Nation."_

_He waited._

_"And it should stay that way," Azulon said with a glare, "Now get out of my sight."_

_"Yes, father."_

* * *

The first thing she did when she retired to her bedroom was hide in the darkest corner, and sit with her arms around her knees. She did this whenever she wanted to force herself to hold her tears, to remind herself that there was a goal to attain, and that crying wasn't going to do anything about that.

But she had nothing left to lose now, and so she quietly shed her tears, her chest hurting the more she tried to not make any noise. But a harsh cry tore through her lips, welcoming a bout of more tears down her cheeks. Her hair fell over her face, and she felt her hot tears fall over her arms. _Is this what it was about?  
_

_What was Sora doing here? Why him of all people?_

She continued sobbing, slamming the rug underneath her because she just didn't know how else to release her emotions. She didn't know how...

"Yuki?"

Azula looked up, thankful that the door was still locked. She sniffed, furiously wiping her tears when the knock came again with a soft and terrified voice, "Yuki? It's Azula."

"Princess Azula?" she called.

"It's me. I can't go to sleep."

_Do anything as to change this girl in anyway..._

The real Yuki's voice rang through her head, and Azula couldn't afford to screw up her chances of getting out of this world. So she stood, and after composing herself, she rushed over to open the door.

"And why aren't you in bed?" she demanded, looking down at the young girl who looked much different in sleeping robes with her hair down.

Little Azula laughed nervously, "Because I'm not sleepy?"

Azula sighed, before she let the girl scurry inside, burrowing herself underneath crimson sheets, "And did I ask you to sleep here today?"

The girl turned and blinked confusedly, "But I always sleep here, Yuki. Is your head hurting again?"

Azula grumbled noisily, not meaning for it to come out sounding like a stomach grumble. Little Azula giggled uncontrollably, falling back against the pillows on her bed. She then patted on Yuki's spot. "Come sleep. We're going to train tomorrow, remember?"

"Oh yes," Azula said before sighing dramatically, "How could I forget?"

The girl giggled again, waiting until Azula laid on the bed before she lunged forward to snuggle against her. Azula made no complaints, she let the girl rest her head on her chest, silently thankful that at least the child broke her out of her funk. She would figure out why Sora was here tomorrow. _For now..._

"Yuki?"

Azula sighed, "What?"

"Daddy's going to the summit tomorrow."

She said this as if Azula should already have known, so Azula agreed, "Yes he is."

The girl sighed, "Do you think they'll try to kill daddy again? Like the last time?"

Azula frowned, trying to process this new form of information. But then again, her father also did have traitors who plotted to kill him. Little Azula raised her head, her amber eyes regarding her mentor with fear and worry, "They almost got him the last time, and I'm scared that he won't come back when he says he will come back."

_Say anything._ "I wonder why anyone would kill such a kind and courageous man like him."

Sora _was_ courageous.

Little Azula smiled, she seemed pleased by what she said, "Yeah."

"You have nothing to worry about," the child nodded, leaning her head back down over Auzla's chest. "Now go to sleep."

"Night, Yuki..."

"...Good night, Azula."

* * *

_She was four, she didn't know what was happening, but she had to keep her eyes shut._

_She didn't know or want to know what was going on. She was sitting right next to Sora, her guard, who stood just as the two men watching her earlier ran towards her with swords drawn from their sides. She was practically a baby, but she understood that those men meant her harm._

_She couldn't do anything but close her eyes, fearing the impact as she cried out in fear. But nothing happened, all she felt were drops of something on her neck. She slowly looked up, blinking at the drops of blood falling over her forehead._

_Sora looked down at her, blood running down his chin. Two blades came through his stomach, but Sora's sun eyes refused for her to pay attention to that. They were fierce, they demanded for her to look him in the eyes._

_"Azula..." he managed, before he roared in pain as the swords were pulled out of him._

_She knew people were screaming, and there was more commotion in the throne room. She knew that her father was fighting his way through the crowd to her, and that her mother let out a terrified scream at the man in front of her. But she didn't pay heed to that. She continued to gaze at her Sora. _

_He fell to his knees, his eyes still pinned on the girl and his smile unwavering._

_What he said next were a blur before he fell on top of her._

* * *

She gasped as she woke up, panting harshly as she tried to catch her breath. Little Azula still slept, unmoved. Her gaze darted out through the sheer windows leading to the terrace, satisfied that the indigo skies were still there. It was barely morning.

"Do you understand now, Azula?"

She blinked towards the mirror at the quiet voice of her mother. She slipped out of the bed, keeping the sleeping girl's head over plush pillows. "Do you now know why you're here?"

The Fire princess said nothing.

"Do you understand the significance of your guard's death?"

Azula waited until she was face to face with the ghost of her mother, who looked much different from the other Ursa she had to stay with. She glared at her mother, glancing at the girl who shifted on her bed.

"The child cannot hear us, neither can the others in the palace. I have a hold on them."

Azula gritted her teeth, "What's this dream about? Why is Sora here?"

Ursa smiled sadly, "You don't understand."

"Well perhaps I don't want to, dear mother!" she yelled. "Perhaps I could care less about a worthless commoner who was foolish enough to not think about his fire bending!"

Ursa said nothing, but stared at Azula in a way that infuriated her.

"Sora was nothing but my servant! _He was nothing to me!_"

Again, Ursa said nothing, but vanished, leaving Azula's reflection. Azula stood panting as she fell on her knees, holding back the urge to break the mirror.

"Yuki?"

Little Azula was awake.

"Go back to sleep."

"Are you alright, Yuki?"

Azula turned to find the girl sitting up on the bed. She almost reminded her of her own mother. It was one of the things Azula hated about herself, because her father never hesitated in pointing that out to her. Even as she did her best to impress him, the more she grew up, the more her mother's image irritated him. She wanted to do harm to this child then, she wanted to wipe out that image of her mother looking at her worriedly in the darkness of the guest room. She almost did it.

"Go back to sleep, Princess Azula."

The child looked like she was about to refuse. Azula gave her a small smile, silently proud that at least she was still stubborn and hardheaded in this world. Little Azula settled over that, and reluctantly went back into slumber. Azula didn't know how long she continued to stare at the mirror on her knees.

* * *

"How long has she been out?"

"It's been two days, your majesty."

Zuko nodded, watching the figure on the bed. The royal physician looked down at the young woman with sympathy, preparing to leave the palace, "I suggest you keep your guards around her."

Zuko's eyes narrowed, "Shouldn't I worry that she's been out cold for two days?"

The old man stood, taking in the moment to study the young boy who turned into the most powerful being in the Fire Nation. Time passed so quickly. "You should, but your sister appears to be in a coma. If I were a monk, I probably would say that she's fighting for something else."

"You believe its spiritual?"

The physician nodded, "I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case."

Zuko nodded. He couldn't do anything else at this point, and he knew it. Azula attempted to escape her confinement, and it didn't take long for the guards to catch up with her. Most already suspected that she was part of a plot to overthrow him, but Zuko knew his own sister. If Azula was that keen on overthrowing him, she wouldn't let herself be captured so easily.

Ty-Lee was the first to claim that Azula just went through one of her episodes, and when she saw her chances of escape, she took it. Which meant that Azula had no plans of what to do other than escape the asylum.

When the royal physician left, Zuko found a chair and placed it near the bed his sister laid on. It has been a long time since he saw her, which was the day she attempted to kill him months after his coronation. She was so frail, her skin more pallid, and beads of sweat fell down her forehead. But there was a look abotu her that keep him by her side. The only time he ever saw her this peaceful was when she was two years old.

"Still asleep?"

It was Aang.

"He doesn't know when she'll wake up. But once she does, it'll be on her own terms."

"There's nothing we can do but wait."

Zuko nodded, "Right."

Aang took a seat on the edge of the bed, careful to not touch the Fire princess. "I spoke to Avatar Roku. He says he's taking care of everything."

The Firelord blinked, "What?"

Aang smiled, "Azula will be fine where she is now, but the problem we have is when she wakes up. We won't know whether she'll attack us or not, but all we can do is hope. That's all I can tell you for now."

He knew that Aang had more to say, but the young man said nothing else. He took one last look at his sister before he squeezed his shoulder and left what used to be her room.


	4. The Blue Fire - Part II

**The Blue Fire in the Crevices of the Mountains II**

* * *

_The two boys were laying on the futon in silence, having been doing this since Ozai told Sora that he couldn't be friends with him anymore. The lantern in the corner of the hut glowed, casting a glow-like shadow over the prince and the beggar._

_"Ozai?"_

_"What?"_

_"Since we can't be friends anymore..." Sora trailed off, but Ozai never bothered to remind him to keep speaking. "...I wanted to tell you why everyone hates me."_

_"Do they have a right to hate you?" the prince spat._

_A pause. "I don't know, Ozai."_

_Ozai sat up, looking down at his friend who looked like he was on the brink of tears. But if there was anything he strongly believed about Sora, it was that the boy never allowed himself to cry. Sora considered crying for the weak, a strong similarity both he and Ozai held, despite the fact that he was the cheery and lively boy Ozai would never be._

_"Sometimes I feel like showing them how it feels...how it hurts inside and out when no one gives a shit about you," Sora said._

_Ozai waited._

_"Because I know that they killed my family."_

_A gust of wind seeped into the hut, passing between the two boys. Ozai's expression was still, but in him, the shock ran through. Sora sat up and turned to look straight into Ozai's eyes, finally sealing the boy's final decision about what to do with Sora._

_"It's against the law for me to know about it," Sora said. "But a group of bandits told me that my father asked for me to live when your father wanted to kill my family off."_

_Ozai's eyes narrowed, "If you knew, why didn't you say anything? Why did you still befriend me after I revealed my identity to you?"_

_Sora nodded in understanding, "Because I know you're not like them. You're better than you think you are, Ozai. If you weren't what I thought of you to be, you wouldn't have befriended me the day we met. You showed yourself when we met that day. You might not believe, but you're truly an honorable person."_

_Ozai was quietly amused, and asked, "How can you be so certain?"_

_Sora smiled, "Because I just know."_

* * *

The skies were tinted a burning orange with a pinkish hue by sunset. Despite the vast majority of noble inhabitants within Capital City, the palace was almost deserted. With only a few guards present, and servants conversing after a day's work in the gardens, the Firelord appreciated the eery silence while he basked under the waning sun with a goblet of fire whiskey.

He was often warned about the dangers of not having enough to guard the palace, but that was years ago. Zuko could now smell poison on the rim of his goblet before he drank, meaning that up until now, most traitors have not succeeded in assassinating him.

He knew that if he wanted peace between the nations, he had to rule with an iron fist. His orchestrated executions of known noblemen who were plotting to take the throne for themselves, with or without his father and sister, proved that.

His no nonsense mentality made others regard him with not just respect and loyalty, but with utmost fear. No one ever tried to double cross him because of the consequences they would face.

Now that Katara had finally given birth to his first child, he need to protect them has soared. Taking down the last of his fire whiskey, he slipped back into his bedroom to watch her. She was now awake, gazing at their son fidget in his sleep in her arms on the bed. Katara was still not used to a three month baby having its own room, and she still had yet to be used to the servants caring for him alone, so she kept the baby to her hip. Most times anyway.

"I wonder what he's dreaming about,"

Katara snorted, "Things babies dream about, I guess."

Zuko smiled, placing his empty goblet on the vanity. Little Akio was placed gently in his father's arms, before he immediately snuggled into him. If his eyes were open, Zuko would be looking at a mirror of himself, minus the scar. Just when his son opened his eyes, and Zuko kissed him lightly on the forehead, a knock on the door was heard.

He sighed, continuing to gaze at Akio, "What?"

Zuko couldn't hear what the servant said, so he permitted him to enter, not bothering to turn when the servant spoke, "The advisor's council would like to have a meeting with you, my lord."

The Firelord frowned, "For what reason?"

The servant took a quick look at Katara, and was caught by Zuko, who narrowed his eyes.

"It is confidential-"

"If you want to say anything to me, you can say it in front of my wife,"

"But my lord-"

"That was an order. Surely you're not that troubled about your Firelady and Water Tribe ambassador misusing this information?"

Katara tried to calm him down with a look, but Zuko wasn't having it. It was a shame that after all this time restoring peace, the Fire Nation still had this mentality of waterbenders being equivalent to peasants.

When he and Mai drifted apart, Katara came into the picture months later. What was at first, cherished weeks being trapped into the caves of a distant Earth Kingdom village, turned into something more. Soon afterwards, Katara and he were married, and Akio's arrival was another gift Zuko would never take for granted.

The young man bowed again, "It concerns the birthright of your sister, Princess Azula,"

Zuko's brow rose, "Did they tell you what else this was about?"

"They were adamant that they tell you themselves. I know nothing, my lord."

With one glance at Katara, Akio was out of his arms and back into his mother's. Zuko bidded the servant to leave, to which the young man did immediately when told. The Firelord silently dressed in his robes.

"What do you think is going on?" Katara asked.

Zuko shook his head, "Discussing a birthright means either planning an assasination or dethroning someone of royal blood, in my case. They're worried that I might be having second thoughts about Azula."

Katara nodded in understanding, "What do you want to do with her?"

The Firelord's gaze leveled with his wife's own before he sighed, "I'm not sure."

He then leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips, kissed Akio on the cheek, and left the bedroom.

* * *

The morning breeze soothed her thoughts as she strolled down the dark corridors of the palace adjacent to the gardens. Slowly, she counted. It has been a week since she has been trapped here, unlikely to find answers anytime soon. While she was deep in thought, the small noises of children made her look up.

Zuko sat cross legged across little Azula, who was deeply focused on what he was saying to her. Azula halted, hiding behind one of the pillars to watch the children. Little Azula giggled at something her brother said, before he stood, forming into a stance with his hands close together. His brows furrowed in concentration, his chest up and down as he breathed deeply, and his hands finally pulled apart, fingers spreading as orbs of fire rose above each one of the fire lilies in the gardens.

Azula's lips twitched into a tiny smirk. It looked like her brother was also a formidable bender in this world. So she watched the fire orbs hover over the lilies, some swaying, and others rotating to the direction of Zuko's hands. The girl who watched in awe was rooted on her spot, smiling sadly at the one orb that fell onto her palm.

"Zuko has been trying to cheer her up all morning."

Azula turned, silently greeting her other mother as she approached her side. She held her breath for a moment, more agitated about the close proximity to the Firelady. She smelled of roses and something sweeter, just as her real mother had smelled when she was around.

"I've noticed that Azula has been a bit down this morning,"

Ursa nodded, "Her father left to the annual summit very early in the morning a few days ago. She meant to say good bye, but my husband had already left."

Azula nodded, gazing at the young girl play with her brother. "I see."

She remember the child had disappeared for a few minutes before they trained those days ago. And Azula did notice that she was quiet, but was more wrapped up in her own little world of turmoil to care for the girl. She remembers what little Azula had told her before their training, and concluded that perhaps the girl was worried that her father faced danger.

A moment of silence passed between them, and suddenly Azula asked, "How did you meet our husband, milady?"

Ursa smiled, "He came to the village I lived in to inspect its needs. He volunteered to help on the rice fields, and I was the first girl who brought him water. He was relentless, and I liked him. So a few months after that, I become Firelady and that little up to no good girl came later."

Azula seemed to accept this before she blinked confusedly, "You didn't have Zuko first?"

The Firelady looked in her direction in surprise and laughed, "I had Zuko when I was very young. My first husband died in the Hundred Years War when Zuko turned three. I must say, Yuki, but I'm surprised you still don't know this."

"What was your husband's name?"

Ursa smiled, still obviously taken aback by Azula's tone.

"Ozai."

* * *

The first thing he had noticed when he entered the conference chamber were the mounds of parchments and scrolls neatly set up on the centered table and his entire advisory's council seated primly on their respective seats. He was tuned out for their introduction, hearing bits and pieces that stood out to him.

Then he started to listen, and soon became agitated because the pieces weren't coming together soon enough. A parchment on the middle of the table caught his attention. He took it in his hand, and looked at the portrait of a young soldier with sun hued eyes. These painted portraits were standard for all officials serving under the Firelord, and even though this portrait could have been looked over, Zuko couldn't help but remember something when he saw those eyes.

_Sora, Village of Jiaoqu_

_Royal guard of Princess Azula._

"Firelord Zuko?" one of his advisors called.

_He remembered this man._

"Start from the beginning,"

"Excuse me, my lord?"

An ancient looking advisor growled, "He said start from the beginning!"

The younger advisor nodded.

"We have found a series of legal documents regarding a group of clans that supposedly use to exist in the Fire Nation."

Zuko blinked, "What kind of documents?"

"Documents dictating regulations that were instituted the day before Sozin instigated the Hundred Years War. The group of clans in the Fire Nation had objected to the war, and were killed off along with the Air Nomads

The most outspoken clan was the clan of Lan Shan, a group of elite firebenders who were renowned as one of the elite benders. They received the worst treatment. Over the years during the war, they were killed off. The last remaining member was a boy named Sora."

"But there are no history records of firebenders who protested the war, or eli-" Zuko was cut off.

The advisor sighed, "My lord, do you honestly believe that such evidence would exist during the war?"

"The man is right." another advisor, a young woman, said. _Years of wiping out threatening history right._

Zuko slowly nodded, "Go on."

"When he was a baby, the boy was spared in a raid against the last remaining members of his clan because his father asked for Firelord Azulon's mercy under the condition that Sora know nothing of his past. If any civilians in the nation who knew of the clan ever told the boy this secret, they would be punished under severe circumstances. Sora had an overwhelming list of discriminating laws set up against him from the the time his life was spared."

Zuko continued looking through the scrolls, most of them legal findings in the cases of several of the clans that were exterminated. Suddenly, he remembered why he came here in the first place, and glared up at the young advisor.

"And what does the deliberate maltreatment of a young boy have to do with the birthright of my sister?"

"Because the clan of Lan Shan were powerful firebenders who only bended blue fire," he said, adding, "and when your sister began to bend blue fire, a ghost law permitting her use of the fire was singlehandedly instituted by your father."

"Meaning..."

The man across him nodded, "That your sister might not be of royal blood."


End file.
